SRINAGAR: Former Director General of Police (DGP) of Jammu and Kashmir Mahendra Nath (M.N.) Sabharwal passed away in Kanpur on Saturday, after a long career in the police and national security establishments.
A 1964-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of the Jammu and Kashmir cadre, Sabharwal served as the DGP of JK Police from October 1993 to February 1997, during a particularly challenging phase of militancy in the region.
Sabharwal was the seventh DGP of Jammu and Kashmir and played a significant role in strengthening the police response to militancy during his tenure. In 1994, he established the Special Task Force (STF), the first counter-terrorism wing of the JK Police.
After completing his tenure as JK Police chief, Sabharwal went on to hold several senior positions in the country’s security establishment.
He served as Director General of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from December 1997 to July 2000. During his tenure, he introduced measures aimed at organisational reforms and the welfare of CRPF personnel.
Sabharwal also served as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), where he handled strategic internal security responsibilities from New Delhi.
Before his retirement, he served as Secretary (Security) to the Government of India and was associated with VVIP security operations.
Sabharwal also authored Kashmir Under 370: A Personal History, in which he chronicled his experiences of handling law-and-order challenges and the transition in the security situation during the peak years of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir.
